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Current Sea Turtle Nesting Season

Sea turtle eggs hatch underneath the sand over a period of 1-4 days, making it difficult to predict when they will be ready for release. The sand sinking indicates the eggs are in the process of hatching. NPS Photo.

Update on Public Turtle Release Events for Summer 2020

It is with a heavy heart we inform you that public hatchling releases at Padre Island National Seashore are canceled this year. Public releases are one of our favorite park past times because it allows us to show you, our visitors, firsthand how import our work is to the protection of the critically endangered Kemp’s ridley sea turtle.

The health and safety of our visitors, employees, volunteers, and partners at Padre Island National Seashore is our number one priority. Due to the overwhelming popularity of these public events, it is not possible to host them this summer while adhering to social distancing and crowd avoidance guidelines. When conditions and guidance allow, the park will resume these popular turtle release events, as well as, traditional ranger guided activities.

We greatly appreciate your support and interest in our work and look forward to resuming public releases in the future! We hope to broadcast staff releasing some of the hatchlings this year on our Facebook page: Padre Island NS Division of Sea Turtle Science & Recovery. Make sure to keep an eye out for updates on this website and our other social media pages.

A female Kemp's ridley sea turtle nesting on the beaches of Padre Island.

NPS photo.

Kemp's ridley nests found in Texas in 2020

Bolivar Peninsula

0

Galveston Island

0

Brazoria County, north of Surfside

1

Surfside Beach

5

Quintana Beach

0

Bryan Beach

1

Brazoria County, North of Sargent Beach

0

Sargent Beach

0

Matagorda Peninsula

1

Matagorda Island

0

San Jose Island

15

Mustang Island

8

Corpus Christi Bay

0

North Padre Island, North of PAIS

8

Padre Island National Seashore (PAIS)

117

South Padre Island

57

Boca Chica Beach

3

Total*

216

A large disturbed nest area and tracks are made when loggerhead sea turtles nested on Padre Island. NPS Photo.

Loggerhead nests found in Texas in 2020

Galveston Island

0

Surfside Beach

0

Matagorda Peninsula

0

San Jose Island

0

North Padre Island, North of PAIS

0

Padre Island National Seashore (PAIS)

0

South Padre Island

0

Total*

0

* Data presented here are preliminary. Do not cite or quote without permission. Contact Dr. Donna Shaver for further information.

These tracks were left behind by a green sea turtle that nested on Padre Island.

NPS Photo.

Green nests found in Texas in 2020

North Padre Island, North of PAIS

0

Padre Island National Seashore (PAIS)

0

South Padre Island

0

Total*

0

* Data presented here are preliminary. Do not cite or quote without permission. Contact Dr. Donna Shaver for further information.